BC F&M Turf: Chance to end up-and-down year on top

ELMONT, N.Y. - The first three finishers in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl Invitational at Belmont Park on Oct. 1 - Riskaverse, Wonder Again, and Film Maker - are hopefuls for Saturday's $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf. Each could use a win to erase an otherwise erratic campaign this year.

Riskaverse and Film Maker have only one victory this year, and Wonder Again is winless. Complicating matters for those three Saturday is the presence of defending champion Ouija Board from Europe as well as top American fillies and mares such as Intercontinental, Megahertz, and Wend.

Ouija Board, the likely favorite, was expected to arrive Tuesday from England.

The BC Filly and Mare Turf is expected to be the final start in the accomplished careers of Riskaverse and Wonder Again.

Riskaverse won the Flower Bowl by a head over Wonder Again. It is the highlight of a campaign that was interrupted during the summer because of a wrenched ankle, trainer Pat Kelly said.

"We caught up quickly and had a great race the other day," Kelly said.

Monday, Riskaverse worked five furlongs on turf in 1:03, and Wonder Again worked a half-mile in 48.60. In other works for the Filly and Mare Turf, Wend worked five furlongs on turf in 1:03, and Sundrop worked five furlongs in 1:01 on the Belmont Park main track.

Saturday's race marks the fourth consecutive year that Riskaverse has run in the Filly and Mare Turf. She has yet to finish better than eighth, but none of those races were at Belmont Park.

Wonder Again is trained by James Toner, who is not troubled by the prospect of a wet turf course for his mare, a four-time stakes winner at Belmont. "I'd like to see it soft," he said. "She's really run well this year, but she has not been lucky enough to win one."

Film Maker has one victory in five starts this year, and trainer Graham Motion felt better about one of her losses after Honey Ryder won the E.P. Taylor at Woodbine on Sunday. In September at Saratoga, Film Maker finished second to Honey Ryder in the Grade 3 Glen Falls Handicap.